Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-01-08


nois Senatorship.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Jan. e.-The senate,
before adjournment Thursday, passed a reso-
luton to meet with the house Friday TO listen
to the governors message, A report, how
ever. reached the ears of the Democrats that
the Republicans had arranged coup d'etat
on the occasion of the joint meeting, and
no sooner had the senate as
sembled Friday than the resolution referred
to was rescinded. This action was taken by |
a strict party vote, whereupon the governors
message was read to the senate. The Repub-
licans vigorously protested against the pro
ceedings as an insult to the governor and
rank affront to the coordinate branch Of the |
legislature, but of course to no avail The |
majority refused to yield single point, and |
the thoroughly bulldozed Republicans listened |
10 the reading Of the gubernatorial message |
in sullen silence.
While these proceedings were taking place |
in the senate the Republican majority in the |
chamber at the other side of the capitol were |
dancing a parliamentary war-dance, so TO
speak, upon the PROSTATE forms of their
Democratic adversaries. The house had
scarcely been called TO order when the COM
mittee on rules appointed submitted a code
of rules almost identical in substance and
effect with those previously adopted in the
senate over the protests of the Republican
minority of that body The resolution EN-
bodying the rules was offered by Buckles, of
Delaware, who moved the previous question
Pending its second by the house, Jewett, the
Democratic leader, moved that when the
house adjourn it be until Monday afternoon.
The speaker ruled the motion out of
order Jewett appealed from this rul-
ing, but the house sustained the chair
by party vote. A fierce wrangle ensued,
the Democrats attempting filibustering tao
tics in order to prevent or delay the adoption
Of the rules, but were squelched by the
speaker, who literally hammered them into
submission. The rules as read were not audi
bic TO dozen members of the house, and
Jewett and other Democrats sought to have
them read again for information A motion
to that effect was made, ruled out OF order,
and on an appeal from the speakers ruling
| he was sustained by strict party vote.
Jewett tried TO make a motion, but the
speaker said he was too late whereupOn jew
| EFT retorted: I'VE will always be too late for
YOU to recognize members Of the minority"
| The rules were thereupon adopted under the
previous question by party vote.
Under the rules of both houses as they now
stand the majority in either can kick out any
number of members of the minority at a mo-
ment's notice without any debate whatever
or any formality save rcll-call. Which
ever house first resorts TO such tactics, the
other will at once follow suit, and confusion
worse COMPOUNDED will b. the order of the
day
When the house had disposed of the matter
of rules, and expectancy sat on every face in
the crowded galleries, as well as on the
floor, ali emissary from the governor
presented himself with the message.
The Republicans had just learned of the
senate's action in declining TO meet with the
house in joint session, and their indignation
took the form of various motions, one Of
which was TO notify the senate that the
house was awaiting its arrival for the pur
pose of listening to the message This was
defeated, and the house ad journed until aft
ernoon without disposing of the matter.
When the house reassembled the question
of the disposition to be made of the govern
or's message required, and, after a tiresonle
sauabble, it was voted 10 lay the document
on the table without reading, and order il
: printed
The speaker announced that in conformity
to law he would on Monday, at 10 a, m.
open and publish the returns of the election
! for lieutenant governor in the presence Of
the two houses. A resolution was passed IN.
wiling the senate to be present at that
hour
This resolution was conveyed TO the senate
$ by which body IT was promptly laid on th'
\ table by the usual strict party vote. Tn
senate had previously voted that when
adjourned for the day it be until Tuesday a
1890 a. m This action was then taken owe
the protest of the Republicans, who claimet
that it was in violation of the constitutional
inhibition of the adjournment Of either
house for more than three days without tn
consent of the other. President Smith
( however, ruled that Sunday did not con
: stitute day in legal contemplation, which
{ was directly contrary to a ruling on the sam
( point made by him Thursday. The senate
S after tabling the message from the house
adopted a resolution to the effect that unde
the laws of the state no election OF lieutenan
governor can legally be held except ever.
| four years, beginning with 1854, and tina
It thAefore there was no vacancy in that ofiic
l. at or prior to the last November election, fo
which reason the senate declines to witnes
any count of any pretended vote for lieJ
tenant governor cast in the year 1886. Thi
+ was carried under the previous question by
5, party vote, whereupon the senate adjourned
Governor Gray's biennial message
lengthy, reviewing tho financial condition {
the state and showing a total indebtedne:
ie Of 6,006, 61s "a, of which amount 81, 70l
< SIS is foreign debt and s., 3a4, 7S:}. % is d.
re nestle debt, the total annual interest paid
in the state being SSI3, 26l.g9. On the questi0
lg of prison reform he says: 'Two-thirls Of til
lie prisoners in our state prisons are under
le years of age. To expect to reform this class
J. prisoners by the forced association wit
" hardened and confirmed criminals, murder
ne ers, thieves and counterfeiters, would be
X reason that evil associations do not contain
lg nate or corrupt The sending Of a young ma
70 to the penitentiary for slight offenses is oil
iectionable for the reason that, howevt
good his conduct may be, he finds that Il
world does not look kindly on an ex-peI
d Tertiary convict, notwithstanding the often
II for which he was convicted was not gray
lg one II is cruel to visit such terrible pu
p ishment for slight offense. A punshmel
e that ends only with death and a punishmeI
ce that deprives the young and first offeIder
n obtaining honorable employment aid &
4 association of reputa BILE persons is disGrat
II to Christian civilization, mockery of t
administration of justice. and a sad col
mentary upon craftsmanship" On the gus
ton of labor and the laboring classes the ms
e sage says: "I'he aggregation of indvidu
o, wealth in various combinations of powc
Cd the combination Of manufacturing INC
,oi opolies and the organization
ne coal mines and other syndicates with the ra
road companies are subjects that should
caiye your careful consideration. All tbs
OF combinations of capital and corporate pow
er, are organized for the purpose Of forcing
Irk the prices of commodities and the necessar
JOG Of life, and Of controlling the wages of lal
vD TO the serious detriment Of the people and {
preston of the laboring classes" He the
fore recommends the enactment of such la
l., as will protect the just rights of the labor
:. % -